McGorry makes final plea for mental health

Professor Patrick McGorry called for more support for mental health issues.

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In his last speech as Australian of the Year for 2010, Professor Patrick McGorry has urged the Federal Government to support a substantial investment in the mental health sector.

The mental health activist says he is pleased the issue has received more exposure during the year, but he wants the Government to commit to a long-term solution.

Professor McGorry spoke at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra and says the Government must take substantial action this year.

"Mental healthcare is part of nation building, because it effects people in the prime productive years of life - teenagers, young adults," he said.

"If we're allowing unnecessary disability to occur, then it's weakening the whole country. I think [the Government] should see it that way."

Professor McGorry says Australia needs to follow the examples of other nations and address the inequality among Indigenous communities.

"Countries like Japan, Scandinavian countries have got very low levels of inequality, very high levels of mental health and low levels of community violence, imprisonment rates, teenage pregnancies, all those sorts of things are low in those sorts of countries," he said.